Kenny Pickett hasn’t had the dream start to his NFL career thus far. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has now played in five games with some underwhelming results.
Pickett’s slow start has garnered him some unwanted history. After a Week 8 blowout loss against the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles, the Steelers rookie became the first QB in 17 years to tally two or fewer touchdown passes and eight or more interceptions in his first five games.
Kenny Pickett is first QB since Alex Smith in 2005 w/ 2 or fewer pass TD and 8+ INT in first 5 career games pic.twitter.com/2qHdX6Yx0N
— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) November 11, 2022
Pickett first suited up against the New York Jets, entering the game at halftime after a rumored squabble between former starter Mitch Trubisky and wide receiver Diontae Johnson. While he had a solid completion percentage going 10 for 13, he managed to throw three interceptions in the process. His five drives resulted in three picks and two TDs on the ground.
Since then, Kenny Pickett has thrown just two touchdown passes to five interceptions and owns a 1-3 record as the full-time Steelers starter.
To his credit, it’s not like he’s faced the dregs of the NFL. Four out of the five teams he’s faced – the Jets, Bills, Dolphins, and Eagles – have winning records through Week 9. Pickett’s only game against a team with a losing record was opposite Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay, who at least sit atop their division.
The hometown product still has a ways to go if he hopes to become the Steelers’ QB of the future and carry the torch after Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. But as we’ve seen from some of the best QBs this season, your rookie season almost never tells the whole story.
.